Head-to-Head · City Comparison
El Monte, CA
VS
St. Louis, MO
🏆 St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories
El Monte
California
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
115.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,929 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
111⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,682
St. Louis
Missouri
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,941
Violent Crime Index
360⚠ High
Population
298,018 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
El Monte, CA
Pros
69% less violent crime than St. Louis
Milder winters — January highs near 69°F vs 41°F
Households earn $6,988 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $597,200
Higher rents — median is $1,605/mo
Cost of living runs 19% higher than St. Louis
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 115.5)
St. Louis, MO
Pros
Homes cost $423k less ($174,100 vs $597,200)
Rent averages $667/mo less ($938 vs $1,605)
19% cheaper overall cost of living than El Monte
More college-educated — 38.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.6 pts lower (5.4%)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cons
Violent crime (1367.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5706.9/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails El Monte by $6,988/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
El Monte
Median Income
$6,988
$59,929 vs $52,941/yr
El Monte
Violent Crime
69% lower
423.2 vs 1367.1 per 100k
St. Louis
Cost of Living
19% cheaper
COL index 96.3 vs 115.5 (100 = US avg)
St. Louis
Median Home Value
$423k less
$174,100 vs $597,200
St. Louis
Unemployment
1.6 pp lower
5.4% vs 7.0% unemployment
St. Louis
Summer Heat
4.1°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 85.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | El Monte, CA | St. Louis, MO |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 115.5⚠ High | 96.3 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $597,200⚠ High | $174,100 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,605⚠ High | $938 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $59,929 ✓ Higher | $52,941 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0%⚠ High | 5.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.3 min⚠ High | 23.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 4.9% | 12.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 106⚠ High ✓ Safer | 325⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer | 360⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 98 ✓ Safer | 272⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C- (66) | B+ (107) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 11.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 13.7% | 38.6% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 63.9% | 90.0% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Mountain View Elementary | ST. LOUIS CITY |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 68.6°F ✓ Warmer | 40.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.5°F | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 15.7" ✓ Drier | 43.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 13.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 108,682 | 298,018 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 37.4 ✓ Older | 36.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 39.6% | 44.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.4% ✓ More | 18.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 14.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
El Monte's cost of living index is 115.5 vs St. Louis's 96.3 (US average = 100).
St. Louis is 19% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, St. Louis leads 13 of 23 categories. El Monte wins 10 and St. Louis wins 13. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from El Monte to St. Louis or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($597,200 vs $174,100 median home), income ($59,929 vs $52,941), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
El Monte, CA and St. Louis, MO are about 1,572 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.